TV report 'damaged' investigation

A MEDIA organisation was criticised yesterday for publishing “wildly inaccurate information” which “damaged” the police investigation into a key person of interest in Daniel Morcombe’s disappearance.

Detective Senior Constable Emma MacIndoe, who led an independent review on person of interest five, said a Channel Seven report on P5 meant an exhaustive 18-month investigation was damaged. Police had to rush through vital steps because of the “potential contamination of evidence” about to occur when the show aired.

Det MacIndoe said they had to rush through photoboard identifications with key witnesses to avoid prejudiced recollections, and curtailed a covert operation being run by the homicide crew. She said she had to prepare an interview with P5, using new information gathered, in just four days.

“He already knew we were on our way because he had seen the (promos),” she said.

Maroochydore Coroner’s Court heard the news program had shown a 15-year-old photo of P5 to an alleged witness who identified him as the person she had seen.

The court heard she had seen this person before Daniel went missing but police had confirmed P5 was in jail at the time.

“The female person in that program was not an eye witness to Daniel’s disappearance,” barrister Michael Nicolson, acting for the police, said.

Mr Nicolson said Det MacIndoe’s ultimate conclusion was that P5, who had previously been jailed for sex offences against a child, could not be eliminated from the investigation but there were difficulties establishing his actual movements the day Daniel disappeared.

The court heard new versions from P5’s associates, who had claimed they were pressured into giving P5 an alibi, opened up a potentially wider time frame for him to get to the Sunshine Coast and back to Goodna.

“If there’s another piece of the jigsaw puzzle, it could advance the investigation?” Mr Nicolson asked.

“Because of the time passed, there’s an open possibility but it can’t be taken any further?”

Det MacIndoe agreed.

The court heard P5 had been described as “a biological psychopath”.

“I don’t think he is capable of telling the truth, even to simple questions,” Det MacIndoe said.

State coroner Michael Barnes asked that assistant police commissioner Mike Condon, who was the head of homicide during the review, discuss how investigators could prevent a similar media report.

Mr Nicolson said media outlets played a valuable role in missing persons cases but “this is an example of jumping the gun which has caused serious damage”.

Morcombe family lawyer Peter Boyce said his clients could give evidence about who knew about the media story in the police force.

“It was an attempt to make sure the public awareness was very much out there,” he said.